GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF SEALS. 405 



probable that his second species is only a variety which has 

 attained a larger size than its congener by obtaining better food, 

 or being less disturbed. 



The Walrus is ear-less, like the true Seals, but differs from 

 thern in its huge canines, and in the fact that it bends its hind 

 legs forward to assist in progression on ice or land. It is also 

 truly Arctic in habitat, abounding in all parts of the Arctic 

 Ocean from which it has not been driven by man. Mr. Allen 

 speaks of it as polygamous in its habits, whilst other authors 

 assert it to be monogamous ; it is, at any rate, not so decidedly 

 polygamous as the Otariida. 



The true or ear-less Seals have hairy bodies, but no fur, 

 have the hind limbs bent backwards so as to serve as a tail in 

 swimming, and are incapable of turning them forward to assist 

 in progression on land. The most noticeable species are : — 



1. Phnca vititlina. The common Seal of our Islands; ranges all round 



the Arctic Circle from the North Atlantic to the North Pacific 

 and Japan. 



2. Phoca grcenlandica. The Greenland Seal, the Seal of the New- 



foundland and Jan May en Fisheries. 



3. Phoca fatida. North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Arctic Oceans. 



4. Phoca caspica. Caspian and Aral? Seas. 



5. Phoca siberica. Lakes Baikal and Oron ? 



6. Histriophocafasciata. The Ribbon Seal of the North Pacific. 



7. Erignathus barbatus. The Great Seal of the Arctic Circle from the 



Atlantic to the Pacific. 



8. Halichcerus grypus. The Grey Seal of North Britain and New- 



foundland northwards. 



9. Monachus albiventer. Mediterranean and Black Seas, Canaries, 



East Coast of Africa. 



11. Cystophora cristata. The Bladder-nosed Seal, North Atlantic and 



Arctic. 



12. Macrorhinus leoninus. Sea Elephant, South Pacific, South Indian, 



and Antarctic Seas. 

 J 3. A variety of above. Coast of West Mexico and South California. 



Four Sea Leopards in Antarctic and South Pacific, New 

 Zealand, Lord Howe's Islands, &c. ; viz. : — 

 14. Ogmorhinus leptomjx. New Zealand coast. 

 J 5. Lobodon carciiwphaga. Antarctic Seas. 



16. Leptonychotes weddelli. East Patagonia. 



17. Ommatophoca rossi. Antarctic Seas. 



